Round 21 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 Melbourne midfielder has made his case to make a late charge for top spot in this week's Rookie Rankings, while two defenders have jumped up a rung in pursuit of a top-five finish.
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:
Taj Hotton (Richmond) - 14 disposals, five marks, five score involvements
Xavier Lindsay (Melbourne) - Nine disposals, two goals
Luke Trainor (Richmond) - 14 disposals, three tackles
55. Max Hall (-1)
In the Saints' scrappy duel with North Melbourne on Sunday, Hall showcased why he's become arguably the 2025 rookie class' most damaging threat going inside 50.
The 23-year-old half-forward tallied six inside 50s, three score involvements and, of course, booted the dagger goal with seconds remaining to secure a second clutch victory in as many weeks for St Kilda.
Admittedly, it was a quieter effort than his sensational outburst against Melbourne last week, hence his slip in the rankings, but that shouldn't take away from the consistent year of football from the 2024 mid-season draftee, with his 15.1 disposals and 5.5 score involvements per game ranking as some of the best figures in this rookie class.
Midfield
Disposals
Tackles
Clearances
