1-18: Shock winner reigns as AFL’s most powerful clubThe numbers have been crunched, and the verdict is in: Richmond is the most powerful club in the land.
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RICHMONDClub membership: 98,371
Social media following: Instagram 320k, TikTok 179k, Facebook 315k, Total: 814,000
Average H&A crowd: 43,691
Cash and cash equivalents: $42,760,281
Net assets: $46,857,872
Season ticket sales and AFL membership revenue: $27,315,726
Football operations expenditure: $34,292,600
Distribution from AFL: $18,534,000
Total revenue: $124,986,192
Highest paid player: Tom Lynch - the dual premiership full-forward has barely figured due to injury over the last two years, but who could argue his back-loaded mega deal hasn’t been worth its while?
Longest contracted player: Noah Balta (2032)
Social stars: Monique Conti - the former AFLW best and fairest winner has the biggest individual social media presence of any Tiger, always happy to share behind the scenes footage from her busy life as a dual sport athlete.
Future face of the club: Sam Lalor - the No. 1 draft pick could be a slow burn on the field in a similar fashion to Dustin Martin or Christian Petracca, but he’s relaxed and confident in front of the cameras and could very quickly become the Tigers’ biggest personality.
Off-field project: The Tigers fully own subsidiary company Aligned Leisure, which manages more than 40 facilities including gyms and swimming pools across Victoria and New South Wales. New chief executive Shane Dunne was at the helm of the project before he was appointed to replace Brendon Gale.
COLLINGWOODClub membership: 110,628
Social media following: Instagram 409k, TikTok 298.2k, Facebook 420k, Total: 1,127,200
Average H&A crowd: 59,435
Cash and cash equivalents: $23,381,521
Net assets: $61,355,093
Season ticket sales and membership revenue: $40,178,779
Football operations expenditure: $33,164,541
Distribution from AFL: $16,041,000
Total revenue: $84,197,144
Highest paid player: Darcy Moore – The skipper was on about $1 million last year but keep an eye on Nick Daicos, who will likely be the club’s highest-paid player for much of the next decade.
Longest contracted players: Josh Daicos, Dan Houston and Harry Perryman (2030)
Social star: Isaac Quaynor – The premiership Pie wears many hats off field – literally in some of his modelling work. He keeps 109,000 Instagram fans updated on everything, while his TikTok is all about fragrances.
Future face of the club: Nick Daicos - In many ways he already is the face of the Magpies and the superstar looks set to hold that mantle for a long time.
Off-field project: Collingwood has long made charity a core part of its club and last year the Magpie Nest arm of the Pies handed out more than 104,000 meals, helped 124 people into accommodation and hosted 550 people for a Christmas day lunch.
NORTH MELBOURNEClub membership: 50,628
Social media following: Instagram 142k, TikTok 84.6k, Facebook 162k, Total: 388,600
Average H&A crowd: 24,271
Cash and cash equivalents: $2,544,651
Net assets: $18,844,448
Season ticket sales and AFL membership revenue: $9,735,935
Football operations expenditure: $32,223,478
Distribution from AFL: $26,357,000
Total revenue: $53,424,203
Highest paid player: Nick Larkey - the Roos’ spearhead took home close to $1 million as part of his front-loaded deal, but in 2026 could be surpassed by Harry Sheezel and Luke Davies-Uniacke (should he knock back rival offers and stay).
Longest contracted player: Harry Sheezel (2030)
Social stars: Griffin Logue - the former Fremantle funnyman doesn’t have a huge following on his individual accounts but is often the first port of call for Roos social staff and footy podcasters. Uncapped forward-ruck Finnbar Maley is one to watch in this space.
Future face of the club: Colby McKercher - given Sheezel is essentially already the face of the club, we turn our attention to the Tasmanian left-footer who is set for a move higher up the ground in 2025. Would be huge for the Roos if he turns down the Devils’ inevitable bumper offer - but a lot of water to go under the bridge until then.
Off-field project: The Roos have run community arm “The Huddle” since 2010 and have helped more than 180,000 young people across a wide variety of cultures use sport to develop their leadership skills and gain a sense of belonging.
CARLTONClub membership: 106,345
Social media following: Instagram 306k, TikTok 110k, Facebook 321k, Total: 637,000
Average H&A crowd: 55,527
Cash and cash equivalents: $26,111,919
Net assets: $63,261,284
Season ticket sales and membership revenue: $26,609,104
Football operations expenditure: $33,600,791
Distribution from AFL: $20,526,000
Total revenue: $97,516,580
Highest paid player: Patrick Cripps – The Blues have a number of A-grade stars on big deals and the reigning Brownlow medallist leads them off on a wage that goes beyond $1 million.
Longest contracted player: Jacob Weitering (2030)
Social stars: Darcy Vescio – Long one of the better Instagram follows in footy, Vescio has parlayed a strong following into further off-field work, hosting an art exhibition late last year.
Future face of the club: Jagga Smith – a horror ACL setback got in the way of Smith becoming one of the Blues’ most important on-ballers in his debut season. The No. 3 pick is a huge cog in their future plans.
Off-field project: The Blues aim to reach 6000 students in 2025 through its Carlton Respects program, having returned to in-class work in helping children learn respect in relationships after moving online during Covid. The club’s first Run for Respects pushed more than 1000 people to run around Princes Park in February. The Blues are also working on a construction of a medical imaging facility at Ikon Park that is due to be completed midway through this year.
ST KILDAClub membership: 60,467
Social media following: Instagram 157k, TikTok 214.2k, Facebook 211k, Total: 582,200
Average H&A crowd: 30,219
Cash and cash equivalents: $651,341
Net assets: $37,946,434
Season ticket sales and AFL membership revenue: $10,692,202
Football operations expenditure: $31,170,847
Distribution from AFL: $26,102,000
Total revenue: $58,997,489
Highest paid player: Max King - the spearhead penned a six-year contract extension through to the end of 2032 in October, which is set to take him past Jack Steele as the Saints’ highest paid player in the vicinity of $1 million per season.
Longest contracted player: Max King (2032)
Social stars: Jesse Wardlaw - possibly the coolest person on an AFL/W list. Has been embraced by Melbourne since joining the Saints from Brisbane and even had a song named after her last year.
Future face of the club: Mattaes Phillipou - confident, well-spoken, with pace to burn and a booming left foot. Once fit again, the former top 10 pick looms as one of the Saints’ most crucial midfielders in just his third season.
Off-field project: The Danny Frawley Centre is entering its fourth year at Moorabbin, with the Saints backing the recreation hub featuring a gym and pool which also takes in hundreds of students and corporate groups to develop their “mental fitness” in honour of the late Saint.
ESSENDONClub membership: 83,664
Social media following: Instagram 271k, TikTok 147.3k, Facebook 357k, Total: 775,300
Average H&A crowd: 49,917
Cash and cash equivalents: $8,207,403
Net assets: $51,119,103
Season ticket sales and membership revenue: $25,029,788
Football operations expenditure: $32,322,231
Distribution from AFL: $19,862,000
Total revenue: $78,919,907
Highest paid player: Ben McKay – The ex-Roo was one of the highest paid players in the AFL last year, netting almost $1.4 million on a front-ended deal. Skipper Zach Merrett has had his pay bumped up for 2025 that should push him over $1 million.
Longest contracted player: Andrew McGrath (2030)
Social stars: Sam Draper – The ruck is so online that his British bulldog Romeo has his own Instagram. Draper is on a weekly podcast and pushes Tradie beer.
Future face of the club: Nate Caddy – Peroxide blonde and confident, Caddy has all the tools to be a classic full-forward hero for the Dons. And his potential running mate Isaac Kako is just as exciting, in both skill and hair.
Off-field project: The Bombers are pushing ahead with plans to redevelop spiritual home Windy Hill and signed a deal with the AFL to reinvigorate the ground after successfully hosting AFLW games there in recent years.
