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 | Hawthorn | 1698 |
| 2 | Brisbane Lions | 1698 |
| 3 | Collingwood | 1618 |
| 4 | Greater Western Sydney | 1590 |
| 5 | Adelaide | 1585 |
| 6 | Western Bulldogs | 1549 |
| 7 | St Kilda | 1549 |
| 8 | Gold Coast | 1539 |
| 9 | Sydney | 1537 |
| 10 | Geelong | 1490 |
| 11 | Port Adelaide | 1484 |
| 12 | Essendon | 1477 |
| 13 | Fremantle | 1450 |
| 14 | Carlton | 1381 |
| 15 | Melbourne | 1359 |
| 16 | North Melbourne | 1356 |
| 17 | Richmond | 1354 |
| 18 | West Coast | 1278 |