Most AFL teams will be without personnel for the start of the 2025 season through either injury or suspension.
Both premiers Brisbane and wooden spooners Richmond were among the hardest hit by long-term setbacks in 2024, with the two sides likely getting mid-season boosts from players returning from ACL injuries but will have to dig deeper into their squads for their first few matches.
The Giants currently have the most absentees for the start of the new season, with five players to miss out on the opening rounds of their incoming campaign due to suspensions.
Collingwood, Gold Coast and Melbourne will also be without players due to suspensions handed down from last year.
Here's a quick catch-up on who each club is set to be without for the start of the 2025 AFL season.
Adelaide
Pre-season foot surgery for second-string ruckman Kieran Strachan has the Crows big man sideline until the early period of the new season.
Outside of Strachan's setback, Adelaide are looking healthy and will have the likes of Wayne Milera (knee), Luke Pedlar (shoulder) and Jordon Butts (foot) back following their hampered 2024 campaigns.
A hamstring injury to new recruit Isaac Cumming hampered his pre-season but he has since overcome the issue to be ready for upcoming practice matches.
Set to miss:
Kieran Strachan - Foot
Brisbane
Brisbane will likely have duo Lincoln McCarthy and Darcy Gardiner still rehabbing from their ACL setbacks, with half-back Keidean Coleman having more of a chance to be fit for the start of the 2025 season.
Coleman's season-ending knee injury came in March last year, with a clear recovery process placing him on a path to be in the Opening Round mix to face Geelong.
2023 free agency recruit Tom Doedee would also be a chance to play at the start of the season and could eye pre-season matches to get his first look in Lions colours.
Set to miss:
Lincoln McCarthy - Knee
Darcy Gardiner - Knee
Carlton
Carlton's luckless run with pre-season setbacks continued this summer as defender Nic Newman was confirmed to miss the entire 2025 campaign with a patella tendon rupture.
Gun midfielder Sam Walsh is nearing a return from a hamstring injury sustained in recent weeks, with the onballer potentially touch and go for the club's first hitout of the pre-season.
The Blues confirmed in December that utility Alex Cincotta has required hip surgery and is facing an extended period on the sidelines, facing up to five months in rehab following the procedure.
After missing the entire 2024 season due to an ACL injury, forward Jack Silvagni has been integrated back into training in January.
Senior contingent Charlie Curnow (ankle), Blake Acres (back), Corey Durdin (shoulder) and Matt Cottrell (shoulder) also returned early into the new year, while Irish recruit Matt Duffy is tipped to be ready for the start of the season after his own ACL setback prior to joining the Blues.
Set to miss:
Nic Newman - Knee
Alex Cincotta - Hip
Collingwood
Star Magpies recruit Dan Houston will serve the final match of his five-game suspension at Opening Round when Collingwood travel to face GWS. The dual All-Australian will make his debut in the black and white against his old club Port Adelaide the following week at the MCG.
A bone stress injury in midfielder Tom Mitchell's foot has placed the Brownlow Medal winner back on the sidelines, with doubts placed over his Opening Round chances.
Young forward Harvey Harrison has lifted his workloads at training over summer but will miss the first half of the coming season after suffering an ACL injury in August.
Set to miss:
Dan Houston - Suspension (one match)
Harvey Harrison - Knee
Tom Mitchell - Foot
Essendon
Bombers youngster Alwyn Davey is no certainty to be ready for Opening Round after requiring knee surgery in recent weeks.
The young midfield-forward won't feature in the club's pre-season games and will be touch-and-go for the start of the season proper.
Essendon will take part in Opening Round this year with a game on the Gold Coast against the Suns, with coach Brad Scott hoping to have a near-fully fit list to pick from.
There is some concern for small forward Matt Guelfi, who suffered a hamstring injury in the club's final session for 2024, with the extent of the setback unclear.
Jye Caldwell (hip), Ben McKay (anke), Jayden Nguyen (knee) and Jye Menzie (shoulder) are all working their way back from setbacks.
Fremantle
A freak accident over the off-season has seen young tall Odin Jones sidelined for the entire 2025 season, with the young Docker requiring spinal surgery after fracturing a vertebrae.
The unfortunate injury looks to be the only setback to the Dockers' squad for Round 1, with the club hopeful ruckman Sean Darcy will be primed to start the season after off-season knee surgery.
Star onballer Hayden Young suffered a minor setback late into last year but should be ready for the club's return to training in 2025.
Knee issues to veteran pair Michael Walters and Nat Fyfe have interrupted their preparations, with the latter a week behind Walters in their recoveries.
SSP recruit Quinton Narkle is dealing with a navicular injury sustained during his time at Port Adelaide and has been on light duties since signing with the Dockers.
Set to miss:
Odin Jones - Spine
Geelong
Geelong have a clean bill of health, but much attention has been placed on new recruit Bailey Smith after his season on the sidelines.
The Dog-turned-Cat missed 2024 due to an ACL injury and will make his AFL comeback early into the coming campaign in the blue and white hoops.
Fellow fresh arrival Jack Martin will be on a managed program after several seasons of limited action due to soft-tissue setbacks, while young ruckman Toby Conway might also be eased into the wing of things after a foot issue brought an abrupt end to 2024.
Gold Coast
Second-year Suns forward Jed Walter won't be available for selection for Opening Round against Essendon after being handed a one-game suspension at the end of last year's VFL season.
His absence could see Elliott Himmelberg partner Ben King in the forward line, with the former joining the Suns from Adelaide over the off-season.
Trade recruit Dan Rioli suffered a knee injury early into his new life in Queensland, but the setback isn't expected to see him miss the start of the 2025 season.
Set to miss:
Jed Walter - Suspension (one match)
GWS
The Giants' controversial post-season celebrations have meant Adam Kingsley will have five fewer players to pick from for the club's first two matches against Collingwood and Melbourne.
Jake Riccardi, Joe Fonti, Harvey Thomas and Toby McMullin will all serve two-game suspensions for their roles in the club's infamous celebrations, while young defender Josh Fahey has a four-game suspension to his name.
On the injury front, veteran midfielder Stephen Coniglio underwent facial surgery in the off-season but has already begun running at training.
He is expected to be ready for the start of the new season alongside Josh Kelly (hip) and Kieren Briggs (knee) following their own post-season surgeries.
Set to miss:
Josh Fahey - Suspension (four matches)
Jake Riccardi - Suspension (two matches)
Joe Fonti - Suspension (two matches)
Toby McMullin - Suspension (two matches)
Harvey Thomas - Suspension (two matches)
Hawthorn
The Hawks will be without key forward Mitch Lewis for the start of the season due to his ACL injury from 2024.
Key defender James Blanck, who is recovering from the same setback, will be in the mix for a return earlier than Lewis but remains an outside chance for Opening Round.
It is unclear how long young tall Calsher Dear will be sidelined for after the second-year attacker was dealing with bone stress in his back this summer.
Further scans in the coming weeks will determine the full extent of Dear's absence, with the Hawks taking a careful approach with their emerging forward.
Set to miss:
Mitchell Lewis - Knee
James Blanck - Knee
Calsher Dear - Back
Melbourne
Lively forward Kysaiah Pickett will miss games against GWS, North Melbourne and Gold Coast after being handed a three-game suspension at the end of last season.
His absence is the only confirmed so far for the Demons, who are hoping to have a handful of senior players ready for Round 1 amid a pre-season filled with players in rehab.
A larynx injury for skipper Max Gawn will have the Demons ruckman sidelined for a total of six weeks but shouldn't interrupt his start for 2025, while fellow premiership player Jake Lever has been recovering from post-season knee surgery.
Christian Petracca copped a heavy knock to the ribs and was required to spend more time on the sidelines following his well-documented setback in 2024.
Forward Charlie Spargo is continuing to build up his workloads from a troublesome Achilles injury, while draftee Xavier Lindsay has also been limited this pre-season after a PCL injury that ended his 2024 season early.
Christian Salem and Bayley Fritsch have also been required to train away from the main group this summer but aren't expected to miss pre-season action.
Set to miss:
Kysaiah Pickett - Suspension (three matches)
North Melbourne
Another ACL injury to untried forward Brayden George will see the Roos youngster miss most of the coming season, with an eye on a late comeback this year and a clean run into 2026.
Tall Callum Coleman-Jones might be touch-and-go to play early into this year given his Achilles injury from 2024, with the same setback hitting Josh Goater a few weeks prior.
Goater could be ready for Round 1 given the timing of his injury and recovery process.
Defender Griffin Logue underwent wrist surgery last year but shouldn't miss any action, with young backman Wil Dawson (shoulder) also back into training this month.
Set to miss:
Brayden George - Knee
Callum Coleman-Jones - Achilles
Port Adelaide
The Power are a chance to be without tall forward Todd Marshall for the entire new season after his Achilles rupture.
The setback could see Marshall return late into the year depending on the success of his recovery.
Forward Sam Powell-Pepper has his sights on a Round 1 comeback despite suffering a season-ending ACL injury last April.
His workloads over the coming month will likely determine his availability, which - at the very least - could be set for the rounds following the club's season opener against Collingwood.
The Power should have Kane Farrell ready for Round 1 after he dealt with hamstring and wrist concerns since the end of last season, while Aliir Aliir is also expected to be back training after a shoulder injury.
Set to miss:
Todd Marshall - Achilles
Richmond
A quartet of Tigers are expected to miss portions of the 2025 season due to ACL injuries sustained last year.
Judson Clarke, Tylar Young and Mykelti Lefau will eye returns in the second half of the year, while young defender Josh Gibcus could be the first back from his long-term knee injury.
Gibcus won't be rushed back into action after missing most of the past two seasons with knee and hamstring injuries, but a comeback in the first couple of months might be on the cards.
Young flanker Sam Banks underwent off-season foot surgery but should be ready for the new season, while Pick 1 selection Sam Lalor has gotten a bigger look on the track after his hamstring injury from last year.
Key forward Tom Lynch has continued to build up his workload over the pre-season and will be ready for Round 1 against Carlton.
Athletic utility Noah Balta is the most recent name to join the list following his off-season altercation that saw police charge him with assault.
Batla was suspended by the club for the first four rounds of the 2025 season, while he'll also miss two pre-season games.
Set to miss:
Judson Clarke - Knee
Josh Gibcus - Knee
Tylar Young - Knee
Mykelti Lefau - Knee
Noah Balta - Suspension (four matches)
St Kilda
The Saints have confirmed Mattaes Phillipou will miss the opening rounds of the season due to a stress fracture in his leg.
The club's injury woes could be compounded with the potential loss of ruckman Rowan Marshall for Round 1, with the star Saint dealing with a pelvis issue.
Hunter Clark (groin, 2-3 weeks), Liam Henry (knee, 4-6 weeks), Alix Tauru (back, 4-8 weeks), Dougal Howard (shoulder, TBC) and Paddy Dow (knee, TBC) are also listed in St Kilda's casualty ward.
Set to miss:
Mattaes Phillipou - Leg
Paddy Dow - Knee
Sydney
The Swans confirmed an unfortunate setback for first-round pick Jesse Dattoli, who is dealing with a stress issue in his back and is facing four months on the sidelines.
The injury will see the Northern Knights product miss the opening of his debut season, with a steady recovery process commencing in the new year.
Key forward Logan McDonald has faced setbacks in his recovery from an ankle injury that saw him subbed out of last year's grand final.
The Swans tall is no certainty of suiting up against the Hawks come Opening Round.
Set to miss:
Jesse Dattoli - Back
West Coast
The Eagles could be without Elliot Yeo for their Round 1 meeting with Gold Coast, with the veteran Eagle hurting his knee and ankle this pre-season.
The return timeframe for Yeo is unclear, with the club crossing its fingers that he'll be ready to face the Suns.
Defender Rhett Bazzo was placed on a modified program earlier this month after hurting his foot, with the Eagles uncertain if he will be available for the start of the season.
Dom Sheed (hamstring/foot), Noah Long (knee) and Elijahย Hewett (foot) should all be ready for the start of the new season.
The club did reveal in early December that Bailey Williams (hamstring), Harry Edwards (foot) and Harry Barnett (calf) were placed on modified training programs but had returned this month.
Young sensation Harley Reid has dealt with concussion and leg issues this summer but won't miss any action.
Western Bulldogsย
The Dogs have placed ruckman Tim English on a modified program after he copped a knock at training, leaving him with an abdominal injury.
The club is uncertain on his return to full training as he looks to overcome his current symptoms.
Utility Anthony Scott will miss the start of the season with a kneecap issue sustained at training in recent weeks, while midfielder Adam Treloar is on light duties due to a calf concern.
Injury-hit 2024 campaigns to Nick Coffield, Jason Johannisen and Jordan Croft have been met with clean starts to the pre-season.
Set to miss:
Anthony Scott - Knee
