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
22. Murphy Reid (-)
Reid had one of his quieter games of the season against Carlton, well held by the Blues' defence. However, the forward sneak still managed a goal and a direct goal assist from his 10 disposals, the goal coming in the all-important third quarter, which sparked Fremantle's brilliant comeback.
In three games where Reid has collected under 10 disposals this season, he's immediately responded with at least 15 touches the following week, so it's likely this kind of performance will be another one-off for the young Dockers star, with Port Adelaide to come in Round 22.
Midfield
Disposals
Clearances
Marks
