Following the nine-part series ranking each AFL club's positional lines, it is time to review each AFL team's list in its entirety and determine which sides can enter 2025 with full confidence in the talent on their list.
While some clubs may be star-studded in one spot, this list will take the entire squad into account, looking into the depth, firepower, and performances in 2024 across all three areas of the field.
Those who have been consistently at the top of the rankings throughout our series will undoubtedly find themselves at the top of the board once again, but those who popped into the top six just once, or those who had a starkly low ranking in comparison to their other results, may find themselves dropped to midtable or below.
RELATED: FORWARD LINE RANKINGS, MIDFIELD RANKINGS, & BACKLINE RANKINGS
So, here is the concluding chapter to Zero Hanger's pre-season list rankings, signifying the best and worst teams on paper for the year ahead.
14. Essendon
(Backline ranking: 15th, Midfield ranking: 12th; Forward line ranking: 12th)
The Bombers are stuck in no man's land again in 2025 and have a list that reflects that reality.
Essendon do have some great players, like Zach Merrett, Sam Durham, Kyle Langford and Jordan Ridley. But amongst injuries for the latter, the Bombers also just have a bland list that lacks the spark required to challenge for September.
Sure, we saw glimpses of that spark early in 2024, and young first-round picks are budding for a breakout season. But, the seemingly annual late-season Essendon fadeout showed plenty of cause for concern list-wise.
Essendon failed to make any notable list changes to boost their odds in 2025 too, with Jake Stringer and Isaac Kako a near straight-swap in the forward line despite some differences in play style.
Beyond their draft haul, the Bombers made no acquisitions of rival talent, leaving them poised for another year of mediocrity.
