Irish Players Ranked : 2025 Season Review
- irishintheafl
- 17 hours ago
- 3 min read
Conor Nash
AFL Club: Hawthorn Hawks
GAA County: County Meath
GAA Club: Simonstown Gaels
Age: 27
Height: 6ft 6in
Position: Midfielder
Games: 22
Statistics: 18.4 Avg Disposals, 5.6 Avg Tackles, 5 Total Goals
2025 Review: The Meath man became the first Irish Hawk to reach the 100-game milestone this year. He has officially transitioned into one of the most feared big-bodied midfielders in the league.
Mark Keane
AFL Club: Adelaide Crows
GAA County: County Cork
GAA Club: Mitchelstown GAA
Age: 25
Height: 6ft 4in
Position: Key Defender
Games: 25
Statistics: 14.8 Avg Disposals, 2.4 Avg Intercept Marks, 5.3 Avg Spoils
2025 Review: A historic year for the Corkman. He was named in the 44-man All-Australian squad, a rare feat for an Irish player, and has cemented himself as the league’s premier intercept defender.
Callum Brown
AFL Club: GWS Giants
GAA County: County Derry
GAA Club: Limavady Wolfhounds
Age: 25
Height: 6ft 2in
Position: Medium Forward
Games: 22
Statistics: 25 Total Goals, 11.5 Avg Disposals, 3.6 Avg Marks
2025 Review: A record equaling year for Callum Brown as his 25 goals matched Setanta
Ó hAilpín's record for the most goals kicked by an Irish player in a season set back in 2010.
Oisín Mullin
AFL Club: Geelong Cats
GAA County: County Mayo
GAA Club: Kilmaine GAA
Age: 25
Height: 5ft 10in
Position: Medium Defender
Games: 25
Statistics: 2 Total Goals, 9.8 Avg Disposals, 3 Avg Tackles
2025 Review: The Mayo man found his niche as a lockdown tagger. He claimed massive "scalps" throughout the year, shutting down some of the league's elite midfielders. Oisín also kicked his first AFL goal this year and then his second in the Grand Final against the Brisbane Lions in the MCG using his blistering pace to burst through the middle and land an important score.
Mark O'Connor
AFL Club: Geelong Cats
GAA County: County Kerry
GAA Club: Dingle GAA
Age: 29
Height: 6ft 2in
Position: Medium Defender
Games: 25
Statistics: 13.8 Avg Disposals, 2.6 Avg Tackles, 5 Avg Marks
2025 Review: After a rocky 2024, the Kerryman was back to his best, missing only one game all year. Mostly deployed as a tagger, he famously laid 10 tackles against Gold Coast in Round 13. He’s now just three games away from joining the elite "150 Club" alongside legends like Stynes and Tuohy.
Conor McKenna
AFL Club: Brisbane Lions
GAA County: County Tyrone
GAA Club: Eglish GAA
Age: 29
Height: 6ft 0in
Position: Medium Forward
Games: 5
Statistics: 2 Total Goals, 5 Avg Disposals, 1.4 Avg Tackles
2025 Review: A frustrating year for the Tyrone man. A nagging hamstring injury and the emergence of younger players limited him to just 5 senior appearances. Conor will be hoping for a better 2026 season.
Liam O'Connell
AFL Club: St Kilda Saints
GAA County: County Cork
GAA Club: Ballincollig GAA
Age: 22
Height: 6ft 2in
Position: Medium Defender
Games: 7
Statistics: 6.1 Avg Disposals, 3.3 Avg Tackles, 2.3 Avg Marks
2025 Review: A promising debut season. The Cork native showed he has the temperament for the big stage, and while he spent time back in the VFL to build his "AFL tank," he is firmly in the Saints' future plans.
A number of the Irish contingent didn't make a senior AFL Game this season and continued to play the majority of their football in the 2nd Tier Competitions.
Darragh Joyce (Brisbane / Kilkenny)
2025 VFL Games: 18
Despite being a reliable "emergency" and traveling with the senior team often, DJ couldn't break into a settled, back-to-back Premiership-winning backline. He was a stalwart for the Lions' VFL side serving as a mentor for younger players.
Rob Monahan (Carlton / Kerry)
2025 VFL Games: 17
A "banked" season of 17 games at the professional level is gold for his development.
Cillian Burke (Geelong / Kerry)
2025 VFL Games: 15
Standing at 6ft 3in, Burke’s athleticism is frightening. With Mark O’Connor mentoring him, he’s tracking perfectly.
Matt Duffy (Carlton / Longford)
2025 VFL Games: 13
13 solid games under his belt is a massive win. He’s already been flagged as a "player to watch" for a senior debut in 2026.
Karl Gallagher (Adelaide / Monaghan)
2025 SANFL Games: 17
Unfortunately, the news broke in September that Karl has been delisted by the Crows and is set to return to Monaghan for the 2026 GAA season. He leaves with his head held high after 32 total reserve appearances over two years.
Eamonn Armstrong (St Kilda / Meath)
2025 VFL Games: 4
Arrived in Melbourne late in the season and managed to play 4 games in the VFL.
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