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
4Harvey Langford (-1)
Langford had a quieter outing against the Hawks as Hawthorn's defensive unit smothered Melbourne's ability to convert inside 50 efficiently, finishing with a miserable output of 33.9%.
However, despite recording just 11 disposals and failing to take a mark, Langford still enjoyed a goal to take his tally to 13 for the season.
Langford certainly found his goal sense after struggling to kick a major for nine weeks, having kicked six in his last four matches. It's the kind of promise that will buoy Melbourne fans heading into next season - and next week as they look to cause an upset against a flailing Collingwood side.
