With the 2025 season inching closer, the second edition ofย Zero Hanger's forward line rankings are here, with teams 12-7 revealed.
The clubs on this list sit in between the best and the worst, either missing the final piece to create a dynamic, high-scoring attack or, opposingly, have one or two star forwards carrying the forward line from second-rate to decent.
TEAMS 18-13: Every AFL team's forward line ranked: Part 1
Here is Part 2 of our forward line rankings...
1. (12th) Essendon
The loss of 42-goalscorer Jake Stringer may hurt the Bombers in a season where it's likely they'll have to take a step back to go forward.
Kyle Langford will be given the added responsibility in his absence, with a consistent year potentially seeing him break the 50-goal mark after kicking 43 in 2024.
Nate Caddy will only continue to improve after he gradually built his confidence in his debut year, while the Bombers' latest first-round pick Isaac Kako could provide an immediate impact similar to Hawthorn's Nick Watson.
Peter Wright offers another key forward option, while Jade Gresham was also a fairly regular goalkicker in 2024.
However, the Bombers are lacking a star key forward to take them to another level. Caddy and Kako may well become the future of the forward line but as of right now, Essendon's forward line is as mediocre as they come, ranked 13th for points per game and 16th for scoring shots per inside 50.
