<p>Ever caught yourself wondering just how much the highest paid AFL players make a year?&nbsp;</p> <p>The 2025 season has more million-dollar men than ever before, with cashed-up clubs splashing serious coin to lock down their superstars. So, if you’ve been asking who tops the rich list, you’re in the right place.</p> <p>With the salary cap climbing every year, more players are hitting seven figures, and a recent AFL report has confirmed 25 stars will be banking over a mil this season.</p> <p>A recent report released by the AFL has revealed there are now 25 different players who are on at least seven figures heading into the 2025 AFL season. But who are they? Let’s find out!&nbsp; In the words of Jerry Maguire – show me the money!</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Who is the Highest Paid AFL Player in 2025</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Tom Lynch (Richmond Tigers) – $1.45 million</strong></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Lynch by name, lynchpin by nature, 32-year-old Richmond forward is allegedly the highest paid player in the AFL heading into 2025.</p> <p>With club legend Dusty Martin hanging them up, Lynch now finds himself as the Tigers talisman.</p> <p>A top-tier marksman, Lynch takes home a snip over $1.4 million for his services.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Top 15 Highest Paid AFL Players</h2> <h2>&nbsp;</h2> <h3>15. Brodie Grundy (Sydney Swans) - $1 million</h3> <h3>&nbsp;</h3> <p>Kicking off this list and still working his way through one of the biggest and most complicated contracts in the AFL is Sydney ruckman Brodie Grundy.</p> <p>Back in 2019 Grundy signed a seven year $1 million per season deal with Collingwood. Was then promptly traded to the Dees after a few years.</p> <p>Then despite only being in his first of five years at Melbourne sought a trade to the Swans where he landed at the start of last season.</p> <p>Regardless of the trade merry-go-round, the bottom line is Grundy still makes a milly every 12 months.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>14. Ben King (Gold Coast Suns) - $1 million</h3> <h3>&nbsp;</h3> <p>One of the games most in-demand young forwards, it appears in a world dominated by Apple Pay, cash is still king for Ben. The Suns’ star is one of the AFL’s latest million dollar men.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>13. Connor Rozee (Port Adelaide) - $1 million</h3> <h3>&nbsp;</h3> <p>Port Adelaide’s skipper Connor Rozee is in the midst of the joint-longest contract in the AFL.</p> <p>When the Power anointed him club captain at just 23, they swiftly ensured he wasn’t going anywhere.</p> <p>Rozee put pen to paper on a mind-blowing eight year contract at the end of 2023, one that sees him take home one million bucks every 12 months.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>12. Zak Butters (Port Adelaide) - $1 million</h3> <h3>&nbsp;</h3> <p>Dynamic on-baller Zak Butters inked a two-year extension at Port Adelaide that runs until the end 2026 and sees him become one of the AFL’s latest million dollar men.</p> <p>Alongside his skipper Rozee, Butters represents the present and future of Port and will be responsible for trying to deliver a long overdue flag back to South Australia.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>11. Issac Heeney (Sydney Swans) - $1 million</h3> <h3>&nbsp;</h3> <p>Just missing out on the top 10 highest paid players in the AFL is versatile Sydney forward Isaac Heeney.</p> <p>As the 11th highest paid player in the league, Heeney takes home a million big ones a season.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>10. Patrick Cripps (Carlton) – $1 million</h3> <h3>&nbsp;</h3> <p>Just slipping inside the top 10 highest earners in the AFL is Carlton talisman Patrick Cripps.</p> <p>After signing a massive extension, the former Brownlow medalist takes home $1 million bucks every year.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>9. Darcy Moore (Collingwood Magpies) - $1.025 million</h3> <h3>&nbsp;</h3> <p>A huge part of Collingwood’s recent success, as the club’s skipper Darcy Moore is worth his weight in gold to the Pies.</p> <p>Despite Darcy’s full pockets, he still plays every game like rent is due.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>8. Clayton Oliver (Melbourne Demons) - $1.05 million</h3> <h3>&nbsp;</h3> <p>After signing a monster seven-year $7 million dollar contract with the Dees in 2022, Clayton Oliver is set to stay with the club for a while yet.&nbsp;</p> <p>With Oliver in his prime at 27 years of age and with the salary cap expected to keep growing, this contract is bound to pay for itself.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>7. Marcus Bontempelli (Western Bulldogs) - $1.1 million</h3> <h3>&nbsp;</h3> <p>The shining light and skipper of the Western Bulldogs, it’s no surprise to see Marcus Bontempelli crack the top ten.</p> <p>It’s hard to put a price on his influence at the Doggies, but they managed it - $1.1 million.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>6. Tim Kelly (West Coast Eagles) – $1.1 million</h3> <h3>&nbsp;</h3> <p>A big fish in a small pond. For all Tim Kelly’s excellence, West Coast continue to struggle.</p> <p>Injuries throughout his time out West have limited his influence and it’s unlikely he will stay at the Eagles beyond 2025, as he enters the final year of a bumper deal that has seen him net approximately $6 million over five seasons.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>5. Shai Bolton (Fremantle Dockers) – $1.1 million</h3> <h3>&nbsp;</h3> <p>If you want to land a young, sought after dual-premiership winner, it’ll cost you. As well as parting with a haul of draft picks, the Fremantle Dockers will now part with $1.1 million a season for the next five years for the services of former Richmond gun Shai Bolton.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>4. Aaron Naughton (Western Bulldogs) - $1.2 million</h3> <h3>&nbsp;</h3> <p>Despite being dubbed “the most overrated player in the AFL” by some pundits, we doubt Doggies’ key forward Aaron Naughton will be too bothered.</p> <p>After all, he has 1.2 million reasons not to worry, after signing a truly mind-blowing eight-year contract extension that kicks in this year.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>3. Christian Petracca (Melbourne Demons) – $1.2 million</h3> <h3>&nbsp;</h3> <p>Securing a podium finish amongst the AFL money machines is Melbourne magician Christian Petracca.</p> <p>He collected the Norm Smith Medal as the Dees won the 2021 Grand Final and now he collects a tidy $1.2 million a season.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>2. Ben McKay (Essendon Bombers) – $1.3 million</h3> <h3>&nbsp;</h3> <p>Last year’s top dog, Essendon star recruit Ben McKay has been bumped from his perch as the highest paid player in the AFL.</p> <p>McKay’s contract is insanely front-loaded, with his contract averaging out to be about 850k a year over the course of his 6-year deal.&nbsp;</p> <p>That’s why his salary is slightly down from last season, but still we doubt he’ll be too upset, with 1.3 million reasons to smile in 2025.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>1. Tom Lynch (Richmond Tigers) – $1.45 million</h3> <h3>&nbsp;</h3> <p>Lynch by name, lynchpin by nature, 32-year-old Richmond forward is allegedly the highest paid player in the AFL heading into 2025.</p> <p>With club legend Dusty Martin hanging them up, Lynch now finds himself as the Tigers talisman.</p> <p>A top-tier marksman, Lynch takes home a snip over $1.4 million for his services.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><em>Please note that all player salaries are in AUD and are approximate figures. These are the current reported annual salaries as of 2025 and do not encapsulate the total duration or value of their current contracts or include off-field revenue.&nbsp;</em></p>