Elo ratings for the 2025 AFL season, based on my bespoke algorithm using custom k-values and seeded with the last few seasons of data at custom weightings. This is a predictor of real team strength, and may be a more accurate representation than their ladder position. You can read more about Elo ratings here.
| Rank | Team | Elo rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Collingwood | 1769 |
| 2 | Brisbane Lions | 1684 |
| 3 | Geelong | 1658 |
| 4 | Fremantle | 1613 |
| 5 | Adelaide | 1604 |
| 6 | Gold Coast | 1604 |
| 7 | Hawthorn | 1563 |
| 8 | Greater Western Sydney | 1537 |
| 9 | Western Bulldogs | 1508 |
| 10 | Essendon | 1504 |
| 11 | Melbourne | 1478 |
| 12 | St Kilda | 1431 |
| 13 | Sydney | 1423 |
| 14 | Carlton | 1408 |
| 15 | Port Adelaide | 1406 |
| 16 | North Melbourne | 1334 |
| 17 | Richmond | 1253 |
| 18 | West Coast | 1212 |