Several recruits starred over the long Easter weekend as footy fans were treated to several thrilling contests.
A Fremantle forward has jumped up into the top four as his scoreboard impact continues to mount, while the Bulldogs' dominant win over St Kilda sees their star recruit leapfrog a Saints midfield acquisition.
Who's making the most impact in their new colours? Welcome to the weekly ranking of the Recruit of the Year contenders for 2025, with Round 6 giving us plenty to consider.
5. John Noble (-1)
The shock loss to Richmond will sting for the Suns but there are still good signs for them heading into a titanic clash with the Sydney Swans. One of those signs is their ability to generate scores from their defensive half, taking a step up from last season. After six rounds, the Suns rank 8th in this category, an improvement from 11th in 2024.
John Noble's addition to their backline undoubtedly has played a role in this small but notable step in the Suns' quest for a Finals berth. He averages the most score involvements for a defender on the team with 4.8 per game, involved in almost 16% of all Gold Coast scores. He's in the upper echelon of the AFL's defenders with ball usage too, posting another 27 disposals on Saturday night, taking his average up to 24.6 on the season, which ranks him eighth amongst all defenders.
The Suns will be looking for a big bounce-back performance on Sunday back on their home deck, Noble's ability to generate rebound 50s and score launches off half-back back paramount to stopping the Swans, who rank first in scores from turnover in the forward half.
