And just like that, the 2025 AFL season looms on the horizon!
While some teams charge forward into the new year at full strength, others are looking to fill gaps in their sides as the pre-season injury toll mounts.
The Sporting News keeps you updated will all the medical news across the competition ahead of another big premiership season.
MORE: The complete 2025 AFL fixture
Read on for all the latest AFL injury news:
Adelaide injury news
| Player | Injury | Estimated return |
| Chayce Jones | Shoulder | 2 weeks |
| Mark Keane | Hip | Test |
| Max Michalanney | Thumb | Test |
| Brodie Smith | Suspension | Round 2 |
| Kieran Strachan | Foot | 2026 |
- Ruckman Strachan has been ruled out for the season due to stress-related foot issue
- Adelaide's defence will be light for round one if defenders Keane and Michalanney don't pass tests
Updated: March 5
Brisbane injury news
| Player | Injury | Estimated return |
| Callum Ah Chee | Calf | Test |
| Keidean Coleman | ACL | 4-6 weeks |
| Tom Doedee | ACL | 4-6 weeks |
| Darcy Fort | Hamstring | Test |
| Darcy Gardiner | ACL | 1-2 weeks |
| Brandon Starcevich | Concussion | TBC |
- Several Lions with interrupted pre-seasons, but most expected to be get some practice match action in
- Doedee, Coleman and Gardiner the main concerns as they continue their recoveries from ACL injuries
- Starcevich is in concussion protocols and should be right for start of season after Opening Round postponement
Updated: March 5
Carlton injury news
| Player | Injury | Estimated return |
| Ben Camporeale | Ankle | 2 weeks |
| Alex Cincotta | Hip | TBC |
| Charlie Curnow | Knee | 1-2 weeks |
| Matt Duffy | Knee | 1-2 weeks |
| Corey Durdin | Ankle | 4-6 weeks |
| Rob Monahan | Groin | Indefinite |
| Nic Newman | Patella | Indefinite |
| Hudson O'Keeffe | Hamstring | 3-5 weeks |
| Marc Pittonet | Calf | 5-6 weeks |
| Jagga Smith | ACL | 2026 |
| Sam Walsh | Hamstring | Test |
- Curnow has had a screw taken out of his knee, delaying his start to the season
- The Blues are confident Walsh will feature in at least one practice match
- Newman's season was over before it begun, while Walsh should get some practice matches under his belt
- Smith tore his ACL in an innocuous incident in the match simulation against St Kilda
- Pittonet will the start of the season with a calf issue
Updated: March 5
Collingwood injury news
| Player | Injury | Estimated return |
| Joel Cochran | Ribs | 1 week |
| Mason Cox | Finger | 1-2 weeks |
| Jordan De Goey | Knee | 1-2 weeks |
| Harvey Harrison | ACL | TBC |
| Dan Houston | Suspension | Round 1 |
| Tom Mitchell | Foot | TBC |
| Illiro Smit | Throat | 2-3 weeks |
| Oscar Steene | Finger | 3+ weeks |
- Brownlow winner Mitchell is dealing with a bone-stress injury and could be worked back slowly
- De Goey is no guarantee for Opening Round
Updated: March 5
Essendon injury news
| Player | Injury | Estimated return |
| Nik Cox | Concussion | TBC |
| Alwyn Davey | Meniscus | TBC |
| Matt Guelfi | Hamstring | 6-8 weeks |
| Darcy Parish | Back | TBC |
- Guelfi will go in for surgery on a hamstring issue and miss the opening few rounds
- Parish is in doubt for the season opener with a troublesome back injury
Updated: March 5
Fremantle injury news
| Player | Injury | Estimated return |
| Sean Darcy | Ankle | 3-5 weeks |
| Josh Draper | Hamstring | Test |
| Nat Fyfe | Knee | TBC |
| Odin Jones | Back | 2026 |
| Alex Pearce | Ankle | Test |
| Hayden Young | Hamstring | TBC |
- Darcy is headed in for surgery to remove a screw in his ankle and will miss the first few rounds
- Young and Draper have both suffered minor hammy strains and will miss at least round one
- Fyfe is reportedly set to miss the Dockers' opener
- Jones needed spinal surgery after fracturing a vertebrae and will miss the 2025 season
Updated: March 5
Geelong injury news
| Player | Injury | Estimated return |
| Cam Guthrie | Achilles | TBC |
| Tanner Bruhn | Finger | TBC |
| Toby Conway | Back | TBC |
| Xavier Ivisic | Ankle | 4-6 weeks |
| Shaun Mannagh | Foot | 2-3 weeks |
- Guthrie has been sent for minor surgery on an Achilles issue
- Bruhn has a finger injury with the prognosis unknown
Updated: March 5
Gold Coast injury news
| Player | Injury | Estimated return |
| Mac Andrew | Chest | Test |
| Charlie Ballard | Ankle | Test |
| Sam Flanders | Back | 1-2 weeks |
| Leo Lombard | Dislocated shoulder | 10 weeks |
| David Swallow | PCL | 8 weeks |
| Jed Walter | Suspension | Round 1 |
| Lachie Weller | Hamstring | Test |
- Swallow will be sidelined for two months with a PCL injury
- Andrew, Ballard and Weller were tests for Essendon clash but will benefit from Opening Round match postponement
- Flanders is still a week or two away
- Lombard dislocated his shoulder in the practice match against Brisbane
Updated: March 5
GWS injury news
| Player | Injury | Estimated return |
| Ryan Angwin | Ankle | 5 weeks |
| Josh Fahey | Suspension | Round 5 |
| Joe Fonti | Suspension | Round 3 |
| Phoenix Gothard | Ankle | Test |
| Tom Green | Calf | 1-2 weeks |
| Jesse Hogan | Thumb | 2-3 weeks |
| Toby McMullin | Suspension | Round 3 |
| Jake Riccardi | Suspension | Round 3 |
| Jake Stringer | Hamstring | 2 weeks |
| Harvey Thomas | Suspension | Round 3 |
- Green is set to miss the start of the season with a calf strain, Hogan and Stringer are also sidelined
- Angwin is still more than a month away
- The fallout from the Giants' end-of-season celebrations means five players will be unavailable for the start of the new campaign
Updated: March 5
Hawthorn injury news
| Player | Injury | Estimated return |
| James Blanck | ACL | 6-8 weeks |
| Sam Butler | Leg | TBC |
| Calsher Dear | Back | TBC |
| Changkuoth Jiath | Hip | Test |
| Mitch Lewis | ACL | TBC |
- Jiath has had a setback on a hip injury and is currently sidelined
- Blanck and Lewis remain on the comeback trails from ACL injuries
- Dear had a bone-stress injury and his return will be managed cautiously
Updated: March 5
Melbourne injury news
| Player | Injury | Estimated return |
| Marty Hore | Hand | TBC |
| Luker Kentfield | Pneumonia | TBC |
| Shane McAdam | Achilles | 2026 |
| Judd McVee | Hamstring | 4-6 weeks |
| Jake Melksham | Hamstring | TBC |
| Andy Moniz-Wakefield | Knee (ACL) | 2026 |
| Kysaiah Pickett | Suspension | Round 4 |
| Charlie Spargo | Achilles | TBC |
| Koltyn Tholstrup | Bone stress | 6-8 weeks |
- McAdam's season is almost certainly over after he ruptured his Achilles
- The Demons have several players working back following pre-season niggles, with Tholstrup the most concerning, ruling him out for the start of the season
- Moniz-Wakefield tore his ACL against North Melbourne in match simulation
Updated: March 5
North Melbourne injury news
| Player | Injury | Estimated return |
| Callum Coleman-Jones | Achilles | 10-12 weeks |
| Zane Duursma | Quad | Test |
| Zac Fisher | Hamstring | Test |
| Brayden George | ACL | 6-8 weeks |
| Josh Goater | Hamstring | 5-6 weeks |
| George Wardlaw | Hamstring | 5-7 weeks |
- Coleman-Jones and George won't be ready for the early part of the season
- Wardlaw picked up a nasty hamstring injury that will keep him out for up to three months
- Goater has has a setback and will be sidelined for more than a month
Updated: March 5
Port Adelaide injury news
| Player | Injury | Estimated return |
| Zak Butters | Knee | 5-7 weeks |
| Todd Marshall | Achilles | TBC |
| Esava Ratugolea | Knee | TBC |
| Dante Visentini | Knee | TBC |
| Brandon Zerk-Thatcher | Back | TBC |
- Butters required surgery on his knee with the vice-captain sidelined for up to eight weeks
- Marshall is a doubt to play at all on 2025 after rupturing his Achilles
- Zerk-Thatcher is expected to miss the start of the season
- Ratugolea has been sidelined with a meniscus issue
Updated: March 5
Richmond injury news
| Player | Injury | Estimated return |
| Noah Balta | Suspension | Round 5 |
| Judson Clarke | ACL | TBC |
| Josh Gibcus | ACL | TBC |
| Jonty Faull | Back | TBC |
| Taj Hotton | ACL | TBC |
| Sam Lalor | Concussion/jaw | Test |
| Mykelti Lefau | ACL | Early season |
| Dion Prestia | Achilles | Early season |
| Hugo Ralphsmith | Hamstring | Early season |
| Josh Smillie | Hamstring | Early season |
| Tylar Young | ACL | Early season |
- The Tigers have a host of players on the comeback trail from ACL injuries, with Clarke the closest to a return
- Lalor will be sidelined following a head knock and jaw fracture in a pre-season hit out against the Eagles
- Smillie has had a hamstring setback and bene ruled out of the opening few rounds
- Ralphsmith will miss the opening few weeks with a hamstring problem, while Prestia has an Achilles concern
Updated: March 5
St Kilda injury news
| Player | Injury | Estimated return |
| Paddy Dow | Knee | TBC |
| Liam Henry | Knee | 3-4 weeks |
| Dougal Howard | Shoulder | 8-10 weeks |
| Max King | Knee | 1-3 weeks |
| Mitch Owens | Shoulder | 1-3 weeks |
| Mattaes Phillipou | Femur | 8-10 weeks |
| Cooper Sharman | Hand | 4 weeks |
| Alix Tauru | Back | 6-7 weeks |
- King has been sent for minor knee surgery and is unlikely to be ready for round one.
- Howard requires surgery on a shoulder injury and will be sidelined for three months, while Phillipou will also return mid-season
- Owens injured his shoulder in the final practice match but was cleared of major damage and could feature in round one
- Sharman has fractured his thumb and will require surgery
Updated: March 5
Sydney injury news
| Player | Injury | Estimated return |
| Ned Bowman | Quad | 2-3 weeks |
| Caiden Cleary | Suspended | Round 2 |
| Harry Cunningham | Foot | 4-5 weeks |
| Jesse Dattoli | Back | TBC |
| Will Edwards | Leg | 1 week |
| Robbie Fox | Calf | 6 weeks |
| Brodie Grundy | Knee | Test |
| Errol Gulden | Ankle | 5+ weeks |
| Logan McDonald | Ankle | 5 weeks |
| Callum Mills | Plantar Fasciitis | 4 weeks |
| Tom Papley | Ankle | Test |
| Patrick Snell | Hamstring | Early season |
- McDonald's recovery from an ankle injury has been slower than expected and he's no guarantee to be ready for the Swans' season opener
- Mills will also miss the opening few weeks with a foot problem
- Grundy limped off the track with a knee injury and will miss the Community Series
- Fellow forwards Buller and McLean have had interrupted pre-seasons
- Papley is nursing a minor injury that shouldn't prevent him from playing in Opening Round
- Cunningham is in a moon boot, with an assessment to come next week
- Gulden fractured his ankle in the final pre-season match
Updated: March 5
West Coast injury news
| Player | Injury | Estimated return |
| Rhett Bazzo | Foot | 2-3 weeks |
| Campbell Chesser | Ankle | TBC |
| Callum Jamieson | Ankle/Knee | 6-8 weeks |
| Dom Sheed | ACL | 2026 |
| Elliot Yeo | MCL/Ankle | TBC |
- Sheed's season is over following a ruptured ACL at training
- Yeo looks set to miss the start of the year after picking up an injury during match simulation
Updated: March 5
Western Bulldogs injury news
| Player | Injury | Estimated return |
| Marcus Bontempelli | Calf | 6 weeks |
| Bailey Dale | Quad | Test |
| Jason Johannisen | Hamstring | 8-10 weeks |
| Liam Jones | Hamstring | 6 weeks |
| Ed Richards | Calf | Test |
| Anthony Scott | Patella | Test |
| Adam Treloar | Calf | 3 weeks |
| Jamarra Ugle-Hagan | Personal | TBC |
| Cody Weightman | Knee | 10 weeks |
| Rhylee West | Hamstring | Test |
- Bontempelli is expected to miss six weeks with a "complex calf injury"
- Weightman set to miss around three months following knee surgery
- English picked up a knock in pre-season and will be managed
- Question marks remain over Naughton, Scott and Ugle-Hagan's pre-season availability
- Treloar is expected to miss the opening weeks of the season after struggling with a calf issue
- Johannisen required surgery on a hamstring issue and will miss the start of the season
- Jones will miss at least two months with a high-grade hamstring strain
Updated: March 5