Round 23 presented a wealth of classy performances from this season's batch of rookies, several of whom made notable impacts in big wins for their respective clubs.
A Saints midfielder has joined the top eight after another solid performance, his form too good to overlook, while an Eagle has made his move inside the top three.
Selection Criteria: Zero Hanger's Rookie Rankings ONLY consider players who have made their debut this season. Other players who may still be eligible for a Rising Star nomination but have already made their debut before the 2025 season will not be considered. I.e. Rising Star eligible players such as Nate Caddy, Dan Curtin and Connor O'Sullivan are ineligible, having already played an AFL match before Opening Round, 2025. Suspension does not make a player ineligible for our Rookie Rankings.
Honourable mentions:
Cooper Trembath (North Melbourne) - Nine disposals, three goals
Taj Hotton (Richmond) - 16 disposals, 10 contested possessions, five clearances
8Hugh Boxshall (NEW)
Boxshall's last month has earned him a debut entry inside our Rookie Rankings for 2025. Against Essendon on Friday night, the 19-year-old midfielder contributed 16 disposals, took seven marks and was involved in four scoring chains in the low-scoring affair at Marvel Stadium.
Those numbers may not jump off the page, but Boxshall has been steadily developing into a solid rotation option in the contest for the Saints. It's his fifth straight week posting at least 12 disposals, averaging four marks and four score involvements per game in that stretch, too.
Boxshall will face his toughest midfield battle this week, as the Saints look to extend their win streak to five games with an upset over GWS on the road in Round 24, likely matching up on one of Tom Green, Stephen Coniglio or Ryan Angwin.
