In today’s footy world, influence isn’t just what happens on the oval it’s what happens off it too. The AFL stars who transcend club loyalty, who show up in your social media feed, who land major brand deals, and who even launch their own lines or businesses, those are the players whose impact stretches beyond match day. Here at Joe Fortune, we have decided to dig into some key areas of influence in the modern AFL era including social media, brand partnerships, and ventures launched by players themselves.
AFL Players with the Biggest Social Media Followings
Popularity of social media platforms continues to evolve and for AFL players, it’s not only a way to connect with fans it’s a metric of influence, brand value, and reach. To establish some matrix of influence we have used figures from Instagram to rank the top current AFL players with the latest known figures:
| Rank | Player | Team | Instagram Followers |
| 1 | Bailey Smith | Geelong Cats | 339k |
| 2 | Nick Daicos | Collingwood | 268k |
| 3 | Patrick Dangerfield | Geelong Cats | 220k |
| 4 | Patrick Cripps | Carlton | 204k |
| 5 | Christian Petracca | Melbourne | 176k |
| 6 | Josh Daicos | Collingwood | 168k |
| 7 | Jack Ginnivan | Hawthorn | 165k |
| 8 | Nat Fyfe* | Fremantle Dockers | 152k |
| 9 | Marcus Bontempelli | Western Bulldogs | 133k |
| 10 | Charlie Curnow | Carlton | 128k |
*Nat Fyfe retired end of 2025 Season
AFL Players with Brand Deals
Beyond followers, real influence is often measured by who’s paying you apart from your club. The big brands don’t just want players they want faces, credibility, and most importantly reach. So, let’s look at a few current players who have deals and which brands are they supporting.
Bailey Smith
Known as Bazlenka, he is presently the most marketable player in the AFL. Top of the Insta list with over 300k followers combined with a mullet nearly as famous as he is, Smith has become a walking billboard… literally. He has partnerships in place to feature in Cotton On ads, promote Maccas and Monster Energy. He is also a mental health ambassador with Stuff That Matters and is a big part of the AFL’s promotions on Binge.
Nick Daicos
Surely it is just a matter of time before Nick Daicos finally wins a Brownlow Medal having been in the top three in the past three years. When it comes to brands, he has already become prolific by partnering with Nike, Monster Energy, Whoop, and Cetaphil. He’s also forged associations with NAB and Select Cards as well as being a supporter of Elite Supplements and Saint Haven Wellness Centre.
Patrick Dangerfield
Patrick has teamed up with several well-known brands, including Lotus Caravans, where he promotes outdoor adventures. He is also an ambassador for DrinkWise, supporting responsible drinking campaigns. His partnerships highlight his connection to lifestyle and community causes.
Patrick Cripps
Patrick Cripps has won two of the last three Brownlow Medals, including an astonishing record-breaking 45-vote win in 2024. Cripps is polished and a marketer’s dream presently he is supporting brands such as Hyundai, Nike, AIA Insurance and Coles. We can only begin to imagine how much further his stock could rise if he were to win a third Brownlow in the next couple of seasons.
Marcus Bontempelli
The Bont, as he’s known, has seen his own brand as being excellent since he started his AFL career at the Western Bulldogs. He is now captain and there are a good number of you who reckon he’s the greatest Dog of all time. He currently has several partnerships with large-name brands like Maccas, Nike and Geelong Travel. He also has partnered up with the Boss clothing line and has long endorsed the My Room cancer charity.
Isaac Heeney
While he’s not quite made it into the top 10 for Insta followers, Isaac Heeney is very much the face of AFL in New South Wales. The Sydney Swans star profile has exploded in 2025 and with a broad appeal Heeney connects with many in the state leading to huge brand deals with Kayo, Telstra, and Nike. He’s also been part of campaigns such ads for South Australian Tourism as well as famously being shirtless on the cover of Men’s Health.
Harley Reid
He might not have as many Instagram followers as some of the bigger names, but he’s absolutely smashing it on TikTok, where almost every child in Australia knows his highlights. Even before being drafted by West Coast, he had already landed a ripper deal with Puma he has since added sponsors such as V Energy Drinks, Toyota and the Crown Casino as well as being the face of the Caulfield Cup Carnival 2025.
AFL Players that Have Started Their Own Brands
Now let’s look at what brands and businesses some AFL players have created or invested their money and time into along with some info on what the product or service is:
Bailey Smith – Barry’s Drink
Bailey Smith is a co-owner of Barry, a ready-to-drink alcoholic beverage brand which is also part-owned by Nick and Josh Daicos, Charlie Curnow, and NRL star Reece Walsh. The drink is made with shochu, vodka, and soda water, and comes in flavours like Crushed Lemon and Watermelon & Lemon. Barry is marketed as a low-sugar, low-carb, low-calorie option aimed at health-conscious drinkers.
Patrick Cripps – Pure Guard Pro
This is an Aussie-made device that cleans fruits and veggies by removing up to 99.5% of pesticides and harmful bacteria. Using advanced electrolysis, it turns tap water into a safe disinfectant without affecting taste. Compact and rechargeable, it’s perfect for health-conscious families wanting cleaner food. Carlton captain Patrick Cripps is one of the proud owners and investors in the brand Pure Guard Pro.
Marcus Bontempelli – Little Bont
Little Bont is a children’s picture book series which was created by Western Bulldogs captain Marcus Bontempelli. The stories follow a young version of Marcus as he navigates footy adventures and life lessons about honesty, courage, and resilience. The first book, Little Bont and the Big Secret, sees Marcus dealing with a mishap involving his nana’s garden gnome and learning about telling the truth. The follow-up, Little Bont’s Brave Play, tackles standing up to fears and challenges. It’s a way for Bont to connect with younger fans and build his own brand beyond the footy field, showing there’s more to him than just footy talent.
Isaac Heeney – Doozy Drinks
Isaac Heeney has recently joined the ownership team here to add even more star power. The company is co-owned by Sydney Swans players Will Hayward, his brother Harry Hayward, and Ollie Florent. Known for its laid-back vibe and clean branding, Doozy offers a low-calorie alcoholic blend—half vodka iced tea, half lemonade with a hit of peach. The drink reflects its owners’ footy roots and easy-going Aussie lifestyle.
Patrick Dangerfield – Reel Brand
This is an Australian fishing and adventure apparel company co-founded in 2018/19 by star Patrick Dangerfield along with angler Paul Worstling of iFish TV. Based in Victoria, Reel Brand offers a range of clothing designed for fishing enthusiasts and outdoor explorers, Their product line includes fishing shirts, boardshorts, long and short sleeve tees, jumpers, and headwear, all made to withstand the demands of various outdoor activities.
Christian Petracca – On Trac
This is Christian Petracca’s personal food and lifestyle brand, built around his love of cooking and clean eating. It includes a cookbook published through Hardie Grant and features Mediterranean-inspired recipes aimed at health-conscious Aussies. While not a big commercial label, On Trac reflects Petracca’s growing media presence beyond footy.
Cunrow Brothers – About Time Bathhouse
You can find this beautiful venue in Torquay, Victoria. It is co-owned by a team of wellness experts plus former AFL player Ed Curnow, and current Carlton star Charlie Curnow. Together, they’ve transformed the space into a modern wellness retreat offering pools, saunas, steam rooms, and treatment rooms, blending natural materials with brutalist design for a relaxing vibe inspired by Japanese wabi-sabi.