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
7Angus Clarke (-)
The Bombers midfielder had arguably the best game of his career in the heartbreaking loss to St Kilda, creating a lot of Essendon's run between the arcs.
Clarke registered 18 disposals and a career-high 10 marks on Friday night, including three inside 50s, clinical by foot in a scrappy, low-scoring game as 15 of those 18 disposals were effective.
Among players aged 20 years old or younger, his 4.7 marks per game ranks third this season (minimum 10 games played), highlighting the potential he can tap into for years to come in the sash.
