The 2025 AFL season is upon us. In an eventful pre-season, footy fans have already been treated to a number of dazzling goals from the league's best, setting the tone for what might be one of the more prolific goalkicking seasons in recent memory.
It was Jesse Hogan who led the way in 2024, winning the Coleman Medal comfortably with 69 snags to his name in the home and away season. The question now is: Can he do it again? If not, who will?
We've picked out the seven favourite candidates for the 2025 Coleman Medal.
3. Jake Waterman
The West Coast Eagles forwards make up one of the club's few bright spots at the moment. The Eagles were poor last season, yet in spite of this fact, Jake Waterman absolutely dominated for them, kicking 53 goals in his breakout season.
Oscar Allen was the Eagles' star up front in 2023, kicking 53 goals, but after he suffered an early season injury in 2024, someone had to step up... and Waterman jumped at the opportunity.
He showed his strengths with a captivating six-goal display against Richmond in Round 5 and then followed it up with a five-goal derby bonanza the following week as the Eagles upset their cross-town rivals in one of just five wins for the season.
This was only the beginning of Waterman's rise as one of the league's premier forwards, kicking at least three goals on seven more occasions.
Waterman never went goalless in 2024 and you'd have to back him in to continue that form in 2025. His 4.1 performance from six kicks in the Eagles' win over North Melbourne demonstrates that to a tee. Whether he claims the Coleman or not in 2025, he's something Eagles fans can be incredibly excited about.
