The reigning premiers are locked in for future success with five Brisbane Lions selected in the 2025 AFL Players’ Association’s 22Under22 squad, presented by Intrepid Travel.
Levi Ashcroft, Will Ashcroft, Jaspa Fletcher, Logan Morris and Darcy Wilmot all appear for the Lions, making up the highest representation by a club this year, while premiership contenders Adelaide and Hawthorn follow closely with four players selected each.
Collingwood star Nick Daicos is vying for his fourth selection in the final 22, the previous two of which have been as the team’s captain. Jack Ginnivan, Josh Rachele, Harry Sheezel and Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera are available to be selected in the final team for the third time.
In a sign of the strength of the game’s current crop of young stars, multiple players leading the competition in key statistics feature in the squad. Daicos and Wanganeen-Milera top the competition for disposals, Mac Andrew is number one for spoils, Sam Darcy for contested marks, and Paul Curtis for tackles inside-50.
In addition, Daicos, Sheezel, and Harley Reid are the three most recent recipients of the AFLPA Best First-Year Player Award.
The 40-person squad is assembled by St Kilda legend Leigh Montagna as Chair of Selectors, with support from the AFLPA and Champion Data.
He spoke to the challenge of assembling this year’s squad.
“We are spoiled for talented youngsters in the game at the moment, and it was no easy feat to put the 2025 squad together.
“So many of these players are already taking on essential roles for their teams and having a huge impact on games each weekend, so early in their careers.
“This group of players represents the future of footy, which is clearly looking very bright.”
For a player to be eligible for selection in the squad, they must be 22 and under for the entirety of the season (including Grand Final Day, 27 September) and have played a minimum of 12 games in 2025.
Fans will now decide the final 22Under22 team, with voting officially open at vote.22under22.com.au until Wednesday, 13 August.
This year’s 22Under22 final line-up will be announced on Wednesday, 20 August via the AFLPA’s social media channels and website.
The AFLPA is proud to partner with Intrepid Travel as the major partner of the 22Under22 competition.
Intrepid Travel has been a world leader in responsible travel for 35 years. The company’s mission is to create positive change through the joy of travel, which comes to life on more than 900 trips all designed to truly experience local culture. With its own network of destination management companies in 28 countries, Intrepid has unique local expertise and perspectives. Globally recognised for their commitment to transparency and ethical travel, they became B-Corp certified in 2018. Intrepid Travel is also the first tour operator with near-term science-based climate targets through the Science Based Targets Initiative, and its not-for-profit, The Intrepid Foundation, has raised more than $16 million for more than 160 partners.