Zero Hanger's final rankings of every AFL team's midfield are here, revealing the top six clubs in the competition.
Each club listed has an abundance of talent across all positions in the centre square, with game-breaking stars who can lift their team to victory when the moment calls as well as role players who play their part to perfection.
In the toughest rankings yet, we've undertaken the challenge of ordering the league's best midfield groups sixth through first.
TEAMS 18-13:ย Every AFL team's midfield ranked: Part 1
TEAMS 12-7: Every AFL team's midfield ranked: Part 2
So who should your club be afraid of seeing at the first bounce this season? Here are Zero Hanger's top midfield sides in the AFL...
2. (2nd) Sydney
The minor premiers' midfield left their own supporters and opposing fans in awe as they tore up the competition week after week.
Chad Warner. Errol Gulden. Isaac Heeney. All-stars of the league that could easily lead a team on their own, let alone forge an intimidating midfield presence together.
Their ability to hit the scoreboard is perhaps the trio's greatest asset. Warner and Heeney combined for 69 goals while averaging 23.5 and 25.1 disposals per game, respectively.
The duo were just two and three goals shy of levelling one of their very own key forward's goal tally for the season, despite playing the majority of each match in the midfield.
Add in Errol Gulden, who booted 15 goals of his own, too, while averaging nearly 28 possessions per match, and you have unheard-of levels of firepower. The best midfielders in the modern AFL landscape usually have one scoreboard threat - think Bontempelli, Horne-Francis and Christian Petracca - but having multiple is overpowering against any opposition.
Sydney's midfield group still gets scarier with their assortment of depth. Warner or Heeney out? Bring in former Pie Taylor Adams, or James Rowbottom, or Braeden Campbell, or Justin McInerney. They have James Jordon as a tagger when needed, and Oliver Florent and Jake Lloyd can play the wing. There is just an abundance of talent.
Brodie Grundy, who the Swans cheaply traded in, caps off the group in the ruck, with near-All-Australian form during parts of the 2024 season. Hayden McLean can rotate through as a backup option as well.
Unlike the Bulldogs, the Swans capitalise on their best players with on-field results. Although they fell short at the final hurdle, the Swans were the outright flag favourite for the majority of the year.
Despite averaging midtable rankings for clearances and inside 50s, the Swans' superstars were still extremely damaging, scoring 37.2 points per game from stoppage (ranked third).
Their midfield greatness was evident on grand final day, albeit for the wrong reasons. As their stars had perhaps their sole poor day for the year, Sydney's chance at a premiership fell to pieces, highlighting the influence their middle pack has.
