They might pale in comparison to the likes of NBA supermax contracts, DAZN fight deals, and whatever ridiculous money is being thrown around in Major League Baseball these days. But the highest-paid AFL players of 2025 are still objectively making serious bank.
According to data from the AFL’s annual report, there were 25 million-dollar players in 2024 (a noticeable rise from 19 in 2023); 10 players breached the upper echelon by earning at least $1.2 million that season (up from the eight in 2023).Â
It’s to the point where clubs are now anticipating approximately 50 players on seven-figure salaries by the end of the next Collective Bargaining Agreement, effective from 2027. Or in a more digestible frame of reference, expect around three of these star players per club.
On average, AFL wages have improved by 2.6% since last year. Out of 800 pros, 18 teams (soon to be 19 with the Tasmanian expansion franchise), and thanks to a whole lot of dollars from Australia’s wealthiest sporting body – here’s who reigned supreme in the 2025 AFL rich list, as per league disclosures and publicly available figures.
NOTE: The following ranking has excluded deals that aren’t yet active, e.g. Finn Callaghan’s four-year/$4 million extension with the GWS Giants, which kicks in from 2026; Gold Coast Suns young gun Mac Andrew and his blockbuster nine-year/$12 million contract, also kicking in from 2026.
The Highest-Paid AFL Players (2025)
- #15 – Brodie Grundy (Sydney Swans)
- #14 – Ben King (Gold Coast Suns)
- #13 – Connor Rozee (Port Adelaide)
- #12 – Zak Butters (Port Adelaide)
- #11 – Isaac Heeney (Sydney Swans)
- #10 – Patrick Cripps (Carlton)
- #9 – Darcy Moore (Collingwood Magpies)
- #8 – Clayton Oliver (Melbourne Demons)
- #7 – Marcus Bontempelli (Western Bulldogs)
- #6 – Tim Kelly (West Coast Eagles)
- #5 – Shai Bolton (Fremantle Dockers)
- #4 – Aaron Naughton (Western Bulldogs)
- #3 – Christian Petracca (Melbourne Demons)
- #2 – Ben McKay (Essendon Bombers)
- #1 – Tom Lynch (Richmond Tigers)
- The Evolution of AFL Player Salaries
#15 – Brodie Grundy (Sydney Swans)
2025 Salary: $1 million
The veteran ruckman signed a seven-year contract with the Collingwood Magpies in 2019 worth $1 million per season, before being traded to the Melbourne Demons a few years later. In the first of his potential five years with the Dees, he bounced like a Sherrin to the Sydney Swans (where he landed last season and has committed to until 2027).
#14 – Ben King (Gold Coast Suns)
2025 Salary: $1 million
A rising star, through and through, and just one of the latest million-dollar AFL players. King begins the first of his two-year agreement with the Suns.
#13 – Connor Rozee (Port Adelaide)
2025 Salary: $1 million
Port Adelaide were keen to lock down young Rozee shortly after anointing him club captain at just 23, offering an eight-year/$8 million contract that ends in 2032. Given the on-field magic he’s produced with Zak Butters, one isn’t surprised.
#12 – Zak Butters (Port Adelaide)
2025 Salary: $1 million
The dynamic Butters’ two-year extension at Port Adelaide expires at the end of 2026, with reports indicating he’s angling to return home to Victoria. Whether he sticks around or leaves, he’ll be paid handsomely.
#11 – Isaac Heeney (Sydney Swans)
2025 Salary: $1 million
In the wake of a career-best season, the Sydney forward is quite understandably one of the highest-paid players in the AFL right now. Averaging 25 disposals and almost two goals per game across his first full season in the midfield, 2024 gave him everything but a premiership and a Brownlow.
#10 – Patrick Cripps (Carlton)
2025 Salary: $1 million
Rounding out the Top 10 is dual Brownlow medallist, four-time All-Australian, five-time John Nicholls medallist, Carlton skipper, and club talisman Patrick Cripps. No further explanation required.
#9 – Darcy Moore (Collingwood Magpies)
2025 Salary: $1.025 million
As club skipper, Moore has been integral to the Pies’ recent run of success, leading them to a premiership in 2023. Hence the dosh.
#8 – Clayton Oliver (Melbourne Demons)
2025 Salary: $1.05 million
At 27 years of age, the already impressive Oliver might not even be in his athletic prime yet, though his earning potential would disagree: seven years, $7 million, which effectively buys his loyalty to the Dees until 2029.
#7 – Marcus Bontempelli (Western Bulldogs)
2025 Salary: $1.1 million
The Western Bulldogs know what their skipper is worth, and it comes at a premium. Imagine what he’ll be earning once he finally completes his trophy cabinet by nabbing a Brownlow.
#6 – Tim Kelly (West Coast Eagles)
2025 Salary: $1.1 million
Kelly enters the final year of a juicy deal worth $6 million over five seasons. Between a slew of injuries, his inability to move the needle for a struggling Eagles outfit, and a rather expensive tab to pick up, he likely won’t ink a renewal with West Coast. At the very least, not one this significant.
#5 – Shai Bolton (Fremantle Dockers)
2025 Salary: $1.1 million
The young premiership winner was recently traded (along with a bounty of draft picks) from Richmond to the Fremantle Dockers. The damage? $1.1 million a season for the next five years.
#4 – Aaron Naughton (Western Bulldogs)
2025 Salary: $1.2 million
Being labelled the most “overrated” and “inconsistent” player in the AFL must be a bitter pill to swallow. Thankfully, a healthy payday generally makes the medicine go down real easy.
#3 – Christian Petracca (Melbourne Demons)
2025 Salary: $1.2 million
The Norm Smith Medallist and 2021 Grand Final winner’s 2024 was largely informed by a near-death injury, on top of the Dees’ season to forget. The silver lining, however, was seen in his bank account.
#2 – Ben McKay (Essendon Bombers)
2025 Salary: $1.3 million
This year, the injury-prone Essendon star recruit has surrendered his title as highest-paid AFL player. Not that you’ll hear him complaining. With a front-loaded contract that averages out to $850,000 annually across six years, there are certainly rougher gigs than working defence for the Bombers.
#1 – Tom Lynch (Richmond Tigers)
2025 Salary: $1.45 million
Heavy are the pockets of the 32-year-old forward currently wearing the crown, who steps up at Richmond after the retirement of legendary teammate Dusty Martin. Though Lynch’s age of financial prosperity may soon be coming to an end as the marksman enters his current agreement’s final year, freeing up Richmond’s salary cap for a needed rebuild.
The Evolution of AFL Player Salaries
1990-2024 AFL Player Earnings Summary
| $ | 1990* | 2000* | 2010* | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
| Up to $60K | 442 | 87 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| $60,001-$100K | 88 | 132 | 67 | 113 | 18 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| $100,001-$200K | 8 | 237 | 153 | 189 | 132 | 125 | 128 | 117 |
| $200,001-$300K | 80 | 158 | 142 | 119 | 126 | 106 | 104 | |
| $300,001-$400K | 22 | 91 | 131 | 119 | 109 | 96 | 103 | |
| $400,001-$500K | 8 | 45 | 60 | 109 | 95 | 91 | 94 | |
| $500,001-$600K | 9 | 40 | 66 | 71 | 80 | 75 | ||
| $600,001-$700K | 2 | 8 | 13 | 46 | 39 | 54 | 53 | |
| $700,001-$800K | 2 | 4 | 25 | 32 | 42 | 58 | ||
| $800,001-$900K | 2 | 2 | 10 | 24 | 29 | 20 | ||
| $900,001-$1M | 4 | 2 | 3 | 15 | 15 | 19 | ||
| Up To $1.1M | 1 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 9 | |||
| Up To $1.2M | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 6 | |||
| Over $1.2M | 0 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 10 | |||
| TOTAL | 538 | 568 | 548 | 698 | 655 | 659 | 660 | 668 |
*Only players who played a senior game.
2010-2024 AFL Player Earnings Analysis
| Year | Gross player payments ($) | Average gross earnings ($) |
| 2010 | 136,698,418 | 226,165 |
| 2011 | 153,699,344 | 237,388 |
| 2012 | 173,717,042 | 251,559 |
| 2013 | 181,560,623 | 265,179 |
| 2014 | 188,944,174 | 283,029 |
| 2015 | 200,199,169 | 302,104 |
| 2016 | 204,305,032 | 309,208 |
| 2017 | 231,354,739 | 352,470 |
| 2018 | 240,417,657 | 362,471 |
| 2019 | 242,345,042 | 363,430 |
| 2020 | 170,043,949 | 259,651 |
| 2021 | 233,853,380 | 372,224 |
| 2022 | 257,574,937 | 406,105 |
| 2023 | 280,862,089 | 441,464 |
| 2024 | 296,300,000 | 459,173 |
Source: AFL
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