After a season of off-field turmoil and on-field slumps, the Demons will be chasing a return to finals footy in 2025.
But do they have the list to take them back there?
There are superstars across all three lines of the field; Jake Lever and Steven May headline the defence, Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver have the potential to get back to their best, and Bayley Fritsch and Kysaiah Pickett have been the Demons' best forward duo since their premiership-winning season.
However, the loss of Alex Neal-Bullen leaves a concerning void, but the influx of Harry Sharp and Tom Campbell could be of benefit.
We've analysed the depth of all three lines across the field to determine who fits into Melbourne's best 23 ahead of a crucial 2025 season.
Our Best 23 for 2025 series will include players unavailable for the start of the season, except for those expected to miss most or all of the season through injury or suspension.
1. Defenders
May and Lever take the key roles in defence, with their premiership experience becoming of major value as the Demons begin to blood youth into the side.
Judd McVee and Trent Rivers are two young up-and-coming players likely to earn a walk-up spot in the side, while Christian Salem and Tom McDonald are veterans who can also slide into the team.
Jake Bowey began in the best 23 last year before his severe shoulder injury kept him sidelined for several weeks. However, don't be surprised if he returns to the side come Round 1.
Young West Australian Jed Adams has yet to debut but has shown promising signs at the state-league level, while Taj Woewodin and Andy Moniz-Wakefield were introduced to the top flight across the last couple of years.
Father-son Kynan Brown, too, earned a debut last season, albeit as the substitute, but with a full pre-season under his belt and strong VFL displays, he could be rewarded with more AFL appearances, either off-half-back or on the wing.
Additionally, Harrison Petty is predicted to shift back into defence in 2025 after an underwhelming year in the forward line, providing more key stocks to the mix.
